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GI Values of Carbohydrates |
Carbs in Food |
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Information About Carbs | Carbohydrates Guide | Low Carb Diets |
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GI Values of Dietary Carbohydrates GI Diet Programs Provide Healthy Nutritious CarbsGI diets have superceded low carbohydrate diet plans and are now the most popular weight loss eating plans for a number of nutritional and dietary reasons. First, by selecting carbs with a lower-GI value - ones that don't cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels, diet programs based on the Glycemic Index are healthier and tastier than low-carb diets. A GI diet permits dieters to eat carbohydrates at every meal, and typically recommends a carb intake of about 50 percent of calories - a far cry from Atkins diet or South Beach diet both of which preached carb-restriction as the best way to reduce weight. However, most people who want to lose weight don't fancy eating from exclusively low-carb menus. They enjoy healthy carbs and this is exactly what a GI eating plan offers: plenty of healthy wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts. Second, a large number of clinical diet trials show that eating low-GI foods improves blood glucose control, as well as blood fats (lipids) such as triglycerides, both of which can be raised as a result of eating too many refined carbs such as fluffy white flour breads and bread snacks. It is these highly processed carbs which are believed to be a significant dietary cause of the surge in metabolic disorders and digestive complaints, as well as obesity. GI Diet Programs Provide Better Blood Glucose ControlThe improved glycemic response produced by eating carbohydrates with a lower GI value, together with the ensuing reduced demand on the pancreas to produce more insulin, means that GI diets are suitable for a wide range of dieters who need to maintain stable blood sugar levels in order to reduce the risk of developing conditions like hyperglycemia, hyperinsulimia (hyperinsulinism). This includes people with raised blood-fats, insulin insensitivity, impaired glucose tolerance, pre-diabetes, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance syndrome, PCOS and several digestive disorders. For example, recent research at Harvard University has demonstrated that eating foods with low GI values that are high in dietary fiber is associated with the lowest risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Foods With Low GI Values Are Digested More SlowlyA food with a low or medium GI value tends to be higher in fiber, less refined or processed, and more chewy. This makes it more difficult for digestive enzymes in the stomach to break down the carbohydrate into glucose, and thus keeps blood glucose levels from rising too fast. The presence of acid (eg. in citrus fruit) also retards glucose metabolism, as does fat, although fats used in baking processes or added to food (eg. butter, mayo) may be high in saturates - the type of fat associated with atherosclerotic heart disease. Foods With High GI Values Can Cause "Sugar Spikes"High GI carbohydrate foods (eg. refined white flour foods) tend to have a chemical structure which permits digestive enzymes easy access, which means these carbs are rapidly converted to glucose and, on entry into the bloodstream, cause a rapid rise in blood sugar ("sugar spike"). In turn, this rapid glycemic reaction triggers an equally large secretion of the pancreatic hormone insulin, whose function is to get the glucose out of the blood and into the cells/muscles where it is utilized to provide energy for the body. Unfortunately, this sort of increased demand on the pancreas and the presence of large amounts of insulin in the blood is neither healthy (it may lead to hyperinsulimia and impaired glucose tolerance) nor good for weight management (it creates renewed hunger within a couple of hours). Until the invention of the glycemic index and associated glycemic load, sugar was thought to be the main cause of "sugar spikes". Now however, it is clear that refined white flour foods are the main culprit. Information About GI Values of Popular FoodsIf you wish to create your own GI diet plan, based on foods with an Intermediate or low GI value, see below for information on the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load values for all main food groups. |
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All materials provided on Carbs-Information.com is intended for general information purposes only. Low carb ketogenic diets do not suit everyone. Note: If you want to lose weight, improve nutrition or raise your fitness level, please consult your doctor before starting any type of diet or exercise program. Copyright 2003-2006. All rights reserved. |